Gordon McKinnon said Trade and Industry Secretary Alistair Darling had done a U-turn after earlier signs that the rule limiting trading for large stores to six hours would be scrapped.

However, religious leaders and unions welcomed the decision to keep the current arrangement.

"It is ludicrous," Mr McKinnon said. "The `anti' group have been lobbying hard and signed up a number of MPs but people are completely missing the point.

"This is about the choice of individuals to do what they want on a Sunday. This is a complete U-turn by Alistair Darling."

Students

Mr McKinnon, director of operations at the centre, said unions lobbying against the change had failed to point out that retail workers could not be forced to work on a Sunday. "This is not about protecting staff," he said. "We are often talking about students or people who find this the only way to get a second income for their family. They want to work."

Mr McKinnon said the existing rules - which mean large stores can only open for six continual hours between 10am and 6pm, but do not apply to smaller shops - created "absurdities" such as allowing the Birthdays card shop in the centre to trade, while Clinton Cards could not.

However, the Bishop of Manchester, the Right Rev Nigel McCulloch, welcomed the decision.

He said: "I believe that the government has made entirely the right decision in protecting the character of Sunday, which is important not only for religious reasons, but for the well-being of society."

Shopworkers' union Usdaw said thousands of its members had written to MPs in recent months, urging them to oppose any increase in Sunday opening hours.

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